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Caitlin Clark’s Flagrant Foul Call On Angel Reese Gets Sheryl Swoopes Perspective. Photo credits: Imagn

'My Issue Wasn’t Even The Foul': Caitlin Clark’s Flagrant Foul Call On Angel Reese Gets Sheryl Swoopes’ Perspective

Originally posted on Hardwood Heroics | By Dan Agulto | Last updated May 20, 2025 7:51 AM ET

The 2025-26 WNBA season has officially tipped off, and it didn’t take long for Caitlin Clark to find herself back in the spotlight. During the Indiana Fever’s season opener against the Chicago Sky, Clark delivered a hard foul on Angel Reese in the third quarter as she tried to stop her from attacking the basket off a rebound. The play sparked a brief commotion on the court, eventually calmed down by Fever star Aliyah Boston.

Sheryl Swoopes—never one to shy away from speaking her mind on Clark—shared her take on the moment during an appearance on Gil’s Arena. The four-time WNBA champion and three-time MVP didn’t have an issue with the foul itself but took exception to how Clark handled it afterward.

“I don’t have an issue with the foul. I thought it was a hard foul, I thought the refs got it right… my issue wasn’t even the foul,” said Swoopes. “My issue is that she walked away from it. She needs to stand in it.”

Swoopes also questioned Boston’s involvement in the scuffle, suggesting the Fever forward should’ve focused on de-escalating tensions among teammates instead of trying to restrain Reese.

Not everyone on the show agreed. Former NBA player Kenyon Martin pushed back, saying there was no need to restrain Clark, since she had already walked away from the situation. Gilbert Arenas and Nick Young added that Clark appeared to be swiping at the ball, not targeting Reese intentionally, though Swoopes stood by her view that the flagrant call was accurate.

May 17, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) fouls Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese (5) in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

“The Storyline’s Different”: Swoopes Says Media Would React Differently If Caitlin Clark Took the Hit

Still on Gil’s Arena, Sheryl Swoopes took her analysis a step further, suggesting that the media and fans would have had a very different reaction if the roles had been reversed.

“My thing is, had Angel or anyone else done the exact same type of a foul to Caitlin, the storyline’s different,” she said.

Caitlin Clark's Indiana Fever Snubbed By Kevin Durant In 2-Time NBA Champion's WNBA Teams To Watch 10 May 17, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) dribbles the ball while Chicago Sky guard Ariel Atkins (7) defends in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Swoopes, also a three-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, touched on the wider perception that players have been overly physical with Clark during her rookie season. That prompted Arenas to note that hard fouls from bigger players against Clark have only added fuel to that growing narrative.